Who is this procedure designed for? Do your seek an active, healthy lifestyle? Make sure you know your options and explore the ACL sparing total knee replacement. Take Dr. McLaughlin’s word:
*Dr. McLaughlin believes that preserving the ACL is necessary to preserve normal knee function. In March 2013, the United States FDA approved the Vanguard XP; the only ACL sparing knee implant in America. This new procedure is an effective method to relieve pain and restore natural function for activities such as golfing, hiking and skiing.
Maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for any knee replacement patient - and Dr. McLaughlin agrees as he is the only FDA approve surgeon for this revolutionary approach to the ACL sparing total knee replacement.
*Dr. McLaughlin believes that preserving the ACL is necessary to preserve normal knee function. In March 2013, the United States FDA approved the Vanguard XP; the only ACL sparing knee implant in America. This new procedure is an effective method to relieve pain and restore natural function for activities such as golfing, hiking and skiing.
Do you have an athletic lifestyle? From golfing to basketball, the health of our knees is important. The ACL sparing Total Knee Replacement does not require damage to a ligament that would otherwise alter your athletic lifestyle. Learn from Dr. McLaughlin:
*Dr. McLaughlin believes that preserving the ACL is necessary to preserve normal knee function. In March 2013, the United States FDA approved the Vanguard XP; the only ACL sparing knee implant in America. This new procedure is an effective method to relieve pain and restore natural function for activities such as golfing, hiking and skiing.
Why is this a game changer? It’s a method that does not interfere with the most crucial ligament in your knee, your ACL. Hear a quick soundbite from Dr. McLaughlin, himself, describing this GAME CHANGER!
Dr. Jeffrey McLaughlin now offers a new way of performing a Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA); one that preserves the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
While the results of traditional TKA continue to be outstanding; patients’ needs and expectations have changed. At The Kennedy Center, we strive to meet those needs.
The importance of the ACL is evident by the number of people, including athletes, whose lives have been significantly altered by the loss of this ligament. Although the ACL is the most crucial ligament of the knee, it is almost always sacrificed in traditional total knee replacements.
Dr. McLaughlin believes that preserving the ACL is necessary to preserve normal knee function. In March 2013, the United States FDA approved the only ACL retaining TKA in America. This new procedure is an effective method to relieve pain and restore normal function for activities such as golfing, hiking and skiing.
Patients and families interested in learning more about the ACL perserving total knee replacement can contact The Kennedy Center at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh, Wis. at 800-322-2141.
Believe it or not, spring is just around the corner and that means planting, weeding, mulching and spring cleaning.
Willa Fornetti, DO is the Kennedy Center’s orthopedic doctor who specializes in non-surgical orthopedics. She notes that there are hundreds of websites and books that discuss safe gardening and spring cleaning techniques, but they all can be summarized in a few simple guidelines.
And Nicole Edwards, Licensed Athletic Trainer at the Kennedy Center at Mercy in Oshkosh, suggests that following these rules of body mechanics will help you avoid joint and back pain.
Stretch your back, arms and legs for a few minutes before heading out to the garden or before cleaning out the basement or garage. This easy pre-step is a simple way to avoid pain later in the day.
The most important rule for any activity requiring lifting is to bend your knees and hips, sit back with your butt out – like sitting in a chair - and keep your back straight, with normal spine curves. In other words, squat! It’s important to squat, whether it’s doing something as easy as making the bed to doing a task as hard as shoveling dirt or mulch.
Gardening
When shoveling, keep your loads light. Don’t try to lift more than you can manage – that’s when people strain or injure themselves. Use proper body mechanics, even with light loads.
Use your entire body to shovel – not just your upper body. Your hip and thigh muscles are some of the largest and strongest in the body – put them to work too.
Use a wheelbarrow to haul mulch or dirt when possible.
When lifting a load, put one hand on the handle and the other as close as comfortably possible to the scoop. This makes for sturdier control of the load.
Weeding: Try using a stool or rubber kneeling pad instead of bending over. You’ll be surprised at how much easier it makes the task.
Take frequent rest breaks and change position often to let your muscles relax.
Spring Cleaning
The same basic body mechanics rules apply to spring cleaning chores as to gardening.
Lift with your legs by bending your knees and hips and squatting.
Pivot your entire body when moving items - don’t just twist from the waist.
Whenever you lift something, remember to keep it as close to your body as possible to reduce strain on your back.
Overhead lifting can be dangerous so avoid it if possible. But if you need to get something overhead, avoid over-reaching and use a ladder or stepstool. Keep the load close to your body as you lower it to avoid rotator cuff injury.
Slide or push heavy or awkward items to avoid lifting when possible.
If you’ve had a hip replacement or a knee replacement, it’s important to keep the following restrictions in mind:
Total Hip Replacement
Don’t sit on a gardening chair (kneeling chair) or on a short stool – it’s too low for your hip!
Two – three months after your surgery, it’s OK to kneel on a pad or kneeler. Kneel on the surgical leg first!
Avoid crawling on your hands and knees
Don’t squat deeply. Don’t get in a position where your hips are lower than your knees.
No shoveling until 4 months post-op. This includes gardening, snow shoveling or in the barn
Total Knee Replacement
No shoveling until 4 months post-op. This includes gardening, snow shoveling or in the barn.
At 3 months after your knee replacement, it is OK to kneel if you can tolerate it. Kneeling will likely be uncomfortable so take it easy.
Anyone who has had surgery, especially those with joint replacements, should avoid getting in the dirt if you have any open sores or cuts to avoid exposure to bacteria.
Follow these simple guidelines and go out and enjoy spring!
Nicole Edwards, LAT And the Orthopedic Doctors at the Kennedy Center at Mercy Medical Center
It’s time to take out your golf clubs, stretch your shoulders and hips and get ready for golf season.
If you’ve had hip replacement or knee replacement surgery at the Kennedy Center in Oshkosh, you might want to think about the following tips from Golf Digest before you take that first swing.
Don’t golf in wet weather – slipping and falling while swinging your club could be disastrous.
Any golfer with a joint replacement should learn to play more “on the toes.” Don’t listen to the golf pros who tell you to swing with your feet flat on the ground. Swinging flat footed puts a lot of stress on a joint replacement. On the backswing, the left heel should come off the ground and on the downswing, the right heel should come off the ground.
Golfers with total hip replacements should learn to play with bigger hip turns. Hip movement is triggered by the lower back. By turning the trunk more, the muscles around the hip are stretched less and therefore take stress off the hip replacement. Be sure to rise up on your toes while attempting a bigger hip turn or the stress of the trunk rotation will be transmitted to the hip or the knee.
Right handed golfers with a total right knee replacement may benefit from “stepping through” their shots with their right leg. In this movement, the right leg comes off the ground during the downswing and follow-through – it actually steps toward the target. This helps the weight shift and will take some stress off the right knee. Golfers with a left knee replacement should never try this technique- it will not help your swing and could be dangerous.
Right handed golfers with a total left knee replacement will probably benefit from an open stance. This will make the backswing a bit more difficult but if the left heel is allowed to come up, a full turn should be possible. An open stance has the golfer facing the target more and the hips don’t need to turn so drastically to the left in the impact zone, therefore taking stress off a left knee replacement.
And finally, a tip from the sports medicine doctors at the Kennedy Center, make sure you do warm up stretches for your back, shoulders and hips before hitting that first ball. Simple exercises like holding a golf club in two hands and stretching overhead and backwards several times will loosen the shoulder, arm and back muscles.
Have Fun!
From the Team:
Dr. McLaughlin, Dr. Tsai, Dr. Hausserman, Dr. Schaufelberger and Dr. Fornetti
Although healing from joint surgery can seem challenging, following your recovery plan is vital for a successful outcome. Your doctor will give you important instructions about exercises, physical therapy, and rest so that you can safely begin using your joint again. Once you return home, you are in charge of realizing the full benefits of your surgery.
Whether you’ve had a hip, knee or shoulder replacement or arthroscopic surgery like ACL or an MCL, you and your healthcare team are partners in your recovery plan. Your instructions can include restricting certain activities. If you are an active person, avoiding strenuous tasks and overwork can be tough. It can even feel like dropping the ball during an already difficult time. While the temptation to push yourself is understandable, keep in mind that rest and limited exercise are part of your doctor’s instructions and essential for healing. The more you commit to your plan, the more quickly you can resume your normal life.
You may also work closely with a physical therapist. Physical therapy is crucial to regaining your strength and flexibility after surgery. Depending on the type of surgery and rehabilitation, you will meet regularly with your therapist, as well as exercise at home. You may have days when you will be tempted to ease up on the regimen because of fatigue, pain, or a busy schedule. Doing so without medical advice can delay your recovery. Instead, speak with your doctor or physical therapist about any concerns.
When managing a lengthy recovery, good planning can keep you on track. Map out the goals of each rehabilitation step with your surgeon or physical therapist. Understanding recovery milestones will enable you to see your progress and stay motivated. To help you stick with your schedule, consider asking a friend or relative to be your accountability partner.
It is also important to plan for your needs after surgery. Many common activities such as driving will likely be off limits for several weeks, and your home setting may need to be modified. Orthopedic experts recommend that if you do not have help at home, arrange for assistance prior to surgery so that you can focus on healing afterward.
To learn more about joint surgery, contact the trusted Wisconsin orthopedic surgeons at the Kennedy Center today by calling 920-223-0123 or toll free at 800-322-2141. Orthopedic specialists can advise you on options and what to expect with treatment and recovery. With commitment and planning, you can master your healing and achieve your fullest quality of life.
Our medical director Dr. McLaughlin is excited to announce the addition of Kenneth Schaufelberger, MD as the newest member of the Kennedy Center at Mercy medical team.
As one of the only Fellowship-trained hand, wrist and upper extremity surgeons working in the Oshkosh area, Dr. Schaufelberger truly complements the range of orthopedic services offered at the Kennedy Center.
The Kennedy Center, home of some of the most dedicated orthopedic surgeons in Wisconsin, continues to lead the region in the highest quality surgeons and staff available. We have board certified and fellowship-trained surgeons in hip and knee replacement, orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, and now hand, wrist, and upper extremity care including full or partial shoulder replacement surgery.
Dr. Schaufelberger graduated from the University of Wisconsin Medical School, in Madison, where he also completed his internship and residency in general and orthopedic surgery in 2005.
Since 2006, Dr. Schaufelberger has been an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He was awarded the Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Professor of the Year Award in 2009 for his work. In addition, Dr. Schaufelberger has been a practicing surgeon in the Fox Cities area since 2007.
Aside from his medical work, Dr. Schaufelberger also enjoys hunting, fishing, football, softball, weight lifting, carpentry and automobile restoration.
On behalf of everyone at the Kennedy Center, we welcome Dr. Schaufelberger and the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder expertise that he will bring to our team of experienced surgeons.
If you’re a farmer, you may find yourself breathing a sigh of relief around this time of the year. The season of intense physical chores such as haying, plowing and harvesting is nearly over. This may bring a temporary lessening of the intense pain associated with arthritic joints. You may think that pain is just a necessary part of hard work, but your joints can only tolerate so much damage before the problem changes your life. If degenerative joint disease goes untreated, it may eventually rob you of your ability to work, your mobility and your enjoyment of life.
A 2010 study on the relationship between occupation and osteoarthritis (OA) revealed that farmers are statistically more likely to need both hip and knee replacement surgery than the general population. Unfortunately, many farmers suffer far too long before seeking help, and even those who don’t wait may be reluctant to agree to surgery.
A tough and stoic breed, farmers often think that the symptoms they are experiencing are perfectly normal. Some minor aches and pains are to be expected as you age, but if you experience severe, chronic symptoms that prevent you from performing everyday activities or keep you awake at night, these are not typical signs of aging. The thought of surgery and a long recovery is frightening if your family depends on you for income. However, when your financial situation ties into your physical ability to work, restoring your health is a more practical decision than putting it off and making your life harder. Taking time to rehabilitate and recover can mean more productivity in the long run.
Being overweight is often a reason that people don’t seek medical help. The idea that a doctor might scold you for gaining weight or blame your condition solely on your size can be enough to scare any self-conscious surgery candidate away. While a higher body weight often contributes to joint problems, the typical farmer’s lifestyle is even more conducive to joint damage. At the Kennedy Center, we understand that people come in all shapes, sizes and occupations, and we welcome the opportunity to help you live a healthier, more pain-free life. Our supportive doctors and nurses will help you through your hip or knee surgery, treating you with compassion while providing excellent care. You are not alone. Don’t let self-consciousness sabotage your chances of enjoying a fully functional, healthy and pain-free life.
At the Kennedy Center for the Hip and Knee in Wisconsin, orthopedic surgeons have performed total and partial hip and knee replacement, ACL surgery, and many other procedures for more than 25 years. Joint replacement surgery does require some down time, but after a period of recovery, therapeutic exercise and well-deserved rest, you may find that nothing can slow you down.
